It is not every day that one has the privilege of crossing paths with an athletics legend like Haile Gebrselassie. That's the thing about the Behobia San Sebastian, and especially in this 2019 edition, which celebrates its Centenary. And adidas, official technical sponsor of the massive Gipuzkoan race, has joined this great party in Ficoba with a luxury ambassador like Gebrselassie.
In Runnea we had the opportunity to interview this champion of everything (Olympic and world champion, and with multiple world records). Talking about athletics Haile Gebrselassie is synonymous with learning, and also to be motivated with this to put on Running shoes and run kilometers, while spreading that passion for running in every word. As another of the great athletes of the adidas Team, Chema Martinez, said on his arrival in Donosti-San Sebastian: "Today at theBehobia San Sebastian Race Fair we have a very small guy, but very big, Gebrselassie" Louder yes, but not clearer. Here are his impressions:
You must have been asked a lot of times. The word RUNNING... What does it mean to you? What is the first image that comes to your mind associated with this concept?
Ahh... RUNNING? First of all I would say to you, do we need to run? Of course, we have a life and we have to live it, and, therefore, we need to run. That would be the concept that comes to mind. People train, I train, to compete. However, for the last 3 years I have not been competing and yet, I continue to run. Because I want to live, because I want to have a good life, running, in short, is life.
I have not been competing for 3 years and yet I continue to run. Because I want to live, because I want to have a good life. running, in short, is life
Eliud Kipchoge, the first athlete to break the mythical 2 marathon barrier. Could this feat only be achieved by Kipchoge or will we see more athletes, sooner rather than later, achieve this sporting feat? Do you think it would be possible without the use of the most innovative technology?
What to say about Eliud Kipchoge and his team, it's fantastic. He is a very disciplined athlete, but obviously the significance and importance of technology is real. Everyone who was able to follow the challenge saw it, but the truth is that I have to acknowledge a certain concern for the future of athletics.
After this, we must wait for the next athlete who is able to beat this new record, no longer alluding or discussing the performance of technologies, leaving aside the product, but the feat itself, the challenge, the sporting goal.
Now we have seen it with Kipchoge, but I remember commenting to the press, 5 years ago, the fact that, sooner or later, humans would be able to break the 2 barrier in the marathon.
If you were 20 years younger, do you think you could have broken that record with the technologies, science and advances that are available today?
You never know. Maybe tomorrow a new campaign comes out, a certain brand starts to produce a certain product and maybe we start to see people jumping instead of running in the street? You never know! People jumping like kangaroos in the streets is possible! Well, put springs in your Running shoes and... but I don't know, I don't know where the limit is. As is the case with Kipchoge, he is a very, very disciplined athlete, no doubt about it. He's won multiple awards, he's broken records....
It's all technology. But you have to find the balance, you have to know what use we make of that technology, how we use these advances.
Icon and ambassador of a prestigious brand such as adidas, what percentage does the choice of the right running shoe play in achieving your goals?
I would say it's about 50-50. Finding the right equipment, the right clothing, the right Running shoes is important. It is necessary to talk about performance, of course, many allude to the performance of these clothes and shoes, and of course it is important. It is important because they have a direct impact on our objectives, on our goals.
By the way, by the way, what is your favorite adidas model, and why?
Well, in my time, when I was preparing and running marathons, my choice was the adidas Adizero Adios. Now, without a doubt, I prefer the Boost, and the Adidas Ultraboost are my choice.
Ethiopia and Kenya are the two main countries conquering the world of athletics. what are the main differences between these two "schools of athletics"?
It is not to talk about differences between the two countries. We are Ethiopia and they are Kenya. The difference between the two countries is the hamburger (laughing joke), we have many similarities.
The marathon is now fashionable for people, do you think that a popular runner is really prepared to run a marathon?
You don't have to worry about the competition, many people when preparing for this type of competition are afraid, respect, you have to enjoy it. You don't need to run fast, you can also walk in the marathon, you don't need to go at top speed.
The participants in the #BehobiaSS are going to have a great time in a real running party.
What is your favorite marathon?
The Berlin Marathon, of course (Haile Gebrselassie was world marathon record holder in 2008 with a time of 2.03:58).
Now you are in the Behobia San Sebastian, what information have you received about this race?
I know that there are a large number of participants, that it is a historic race. Even though the weather this year is going to be a bit cold, the atmosphere is going to be unique, you can feel it.
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